Daniel J Nicholson
@djnicholson.bsky.social
Integrating the History, Philosophy, & Theory of Biology
Pinned
<i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
Cambridge Core - Philosophy: General Interest - <i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
www.cambridge.org
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
Ehud, out of curiosity: which text by Gayon did you assign?
November 25, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Ehud, out of curiosity: which text by Gayon did you assign?
Feel this so much! 😆
November 23, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Feel this so much! 😆
Gracias Juan!
November 15, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Gracias Juan!
Yes, that's exactly right. And in fact I note in my book that life is a manifestation of both OFO *and* OFD processes. The former are necessary for its propagation, but the latter play a key role in its conservation. Both are essential for its perpetuation over evolutionary time scales.
November 13, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Yes, that's exactly right. And in fact I note in my book that life is a manifestation of both OFO *and* OFD processes. The former are necessary for its propagation, but the latter play a key role in its conservation. Both are essential for its perpetuation over evolutionary time scales.
Couldn't agree more
November 12, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Couldn't agree more
Thanks Benjamin, I appreciate that. And I'll keep an eye out for Riskin's new book!
November 12, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Thanks Benjamin, I appreciate that. And I'll keep an eye out for Riskin's new book!
I had SO much fun talking to Paul for almost 2 hours about my new book on Schrödinger & molecular biology. Easily one of the most enjoyable podcasts I've ever done. Check it out!
P.S. CUP has made the PDF of my book free to download for 2 more weeks. Get it here: www.cambridge.org/core/element...
P.S. CUP has made the PDF of my book free to download for 2 more weeks. Get it here: www.cambridge.org/core/element...
What Is Life? A misleading title for Schrödinger's book.
What is Life? Revisited. A spot-on title for Dan's @djnicholson.bsky.social book, which happens to be a gem.
After reading it and discussing with Dan, I can only picture Schrödinger as a cartoon villain now.
braininspired.co/podcast/224/
What is Life? Revisited. A spot-on title for Dan's @djnicholson.bsky.social book, which happens to be a gem.
After reading it and discussing with Dan, I can only picture Schrödinger as a cartoon villain now.
braininspired.co/podcast/224/
November 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I had SO much fun talking to Paul for almost 2 hours about my new book on Schrödinger & molecular biology. Easily one of the most enjoyable podcasts I've ever done. Check it out!
P.S. CUP has made the PDF of my book free to download for 2 more weeks. Get it here: www.cambridge.org/core/element...
P.S. CUP has made the PDF of my book free to download for 2 more weeks. Get it here: www.cambridge.org/core/element...
I actually thank Watson in the acknowledgements of my book, where I note that he "was appalled that I had the audacity to criticize molecular biology’s Schrödingerian view of the cell. Paradoxically, I found Watson’s complaints rather reassuring, as they showed that I am not attacking a strawman"
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I actually thank Watson in the acknowledgements of my book, where I note that he "was appalled that I had the audacity to criticize molecular biology’s Schrödingerian view of the cell. Paradoxically, I found Watson’s complaints rather reassuring, as they showed that I am not attacking a strawman"
When I presented my research on Schrödinger at CSHL, everyone was surprised to find Jim Watson seated up front in what was apparently his first public appearance since the pandemic. During my talk, he snored so loudly that he woke himself up, and in the Q&A he loudly described my argument as "Crap!"
November 8, 2025 at 8:57 AM
When I presented my research on Schrödinger at CSHL, everyone was surprised to find Jim Watson seated up front in what was apparently his first public appearance since the pandemic. During my talk, he snored so loudly that he woke himself up, and in the Q&A he loudly described my argument as "Crap!"
Nice! Interested to hear what you make of my analysis
October 24, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Nice! Interested to hear what you make of my analysis
Note for purists: the original published version had a typo at the bottom of the first page (introduced during copy-editing) which rendered the last sentence nonsensical. This has now been corrected in the online/PDF version. The printed version coming out next month will also be the corrected one.
October 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Note for purists: the original published version had a typo at the bottom of the first page (introduced during copy-editing) which rendered the last sentence nonsensical. This has now been corrected in the online/PDF version. The printed version coming out next month will also be the corrected one.
Last chance to download my book for free! It's still available until tomorrow.
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
October 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Last chance to download my book for free! It's still available until tomorrow.
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
Daniel‘s lectures at our GSK Cancer Science Graduate School are always a curriculum highlight! Contemplating the implicit assumptions of modern biological science can foster new ways of thinking, as some of our old go-to concepts become unwieldy and show their limitations. Students loved it!
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
October 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Daniel‘s lectures at our GSK Cancer Science Graduate School are always a curriculum highlight! Contemplating the implicit assumptions of modern biological science can foster new ways of thinking, as some of our old go-to concepts become unwieldy and show their limitations. Students loved it!
The flip side is that because Schrödinger's ideas lent themselves to numerous (often contradictory) interpretations, their influence was magnified as a result. Readers of WIL have found in it whatever they happened to be looking for, which is why the book means different things to different people.
October 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM
The flip side is that because Schrödinger's ideas lent themselves to numerous (often contradictory) interpretations, their influence was magnified as a result. Readers of WIL have found in it whatever they happened to be looking for, which is why the book means different things to different people.
But the importance of negative entropy for Schrödinger's view of life has been overstated and misconstrued. Schrödinger is not the apostle of self-organization that proponents of non-equilibrium thermodynamics have made him out to be. In fact he is saying the opposite of what they think he's saying.
October 12, 2025 at 12:20 PM
But the importance of negative entropy for Schrödinger's view of life has been overstated and misconstrued. Schrödinger is not the apostle of self-organization that proponents of non-equilibrium thermodynamics have made him out to be. In fact he is saying the opposite of what they think he's saying.
As I show in my book, Schrödinger's idea of 'negative entropy' has been interpreted in a variety of different ways. Proponents of cybernetics and information theory on the one hand and of non-equilibrium thermodynamics on the other have drawn on it for different purposes.
October 12, 2025 at 12:14 PM
As I show in my book, Schrödinger's idea of 'negative entropy' has been interpreted in a variety of different ways. Proponents of cybernetics and information theory on the one hand and of non-equilibrium thermodynamics on the other have drawn on it for different purposes.
Thanks Christian! Monod's C&N builds on many of the themes in WIL. In fact, in my book I argue that the former represents the realization of the biological vision of the latter. And you're right that Monod articulates it more explicitly. Life is based on OFO according to Schrödinger hence my focus
October 12, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Thanks Christian! Monod's C&N builds on many of the themes in WIL. In fact, in my book I argue that the former represents the realization of the biological vision of the latter. And you're right that Monod articulates it more explicitly. Life is based on OFO according to Schrödinger hence my focus
Nice! That sounds quite close to my interpretation. Would love to read your analysis; did you publish it?
October 11, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Nice! That sounds quite close to my interpretation. Would love to read your analysis; did you publish it?
¡Gracias, Alejandro! Este proyecto ha sido toda una odisea, pero me alegra mucho poder compartirlo por fin con el mundo. Verás que te agradezco explícitamente en un pie de página los datos que encontrastes en los archivos de CUP, y también al final, por supuesto :) Un abrazo
October 10, 2025 at 3:18 PM
¡Gracias, Alejandro! Este proyecto ha sido toda una odisea, pero me alegra mucho poder compartirlo por fin con el mundo. Verás que te agradezco explícitamente en un pie de página los datos que encontrastes en los archivos de CUP, y también al final, por supuesto :) Un abrazo
Thanks Ehud! I'm curious to hear what you make of it!
October 10, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Thanks Ehud! I'm curious to hear what you make of it!
Thanks Chris. And hope the conference today goes well! I wil try to catch some of it online.
October 10, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Thanks Chris. And hope the conference today goes well! I wil try to catch some of it online.
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
<i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
Cambridge Core - Philosophy: General Interest - <i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
www.cambridge.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
¡¡Enhorabuena, Alejandro!! 🎉🎉🎉
August 25, 2025 at 5:50 PM
¡¡Enhorabuena, Alejandro!! 🎉🎉🎉